|
Wines from 470 regions are each recognised as an "appellation
d'origine controlée" (AOC) - a system based
on "terroir", whereby wine-growing areas have
specific characters nurtured since Gallo-Roman times.
But according to a report published by the consumer-rights
group UFC-Que Choisir, slack quality-control saw 99
per cent of all candidate wines awarded their AOC label
in 2005.
Pressure to produce higher yields has also contributed
to a drastic drop in quality. "For a number of
years, we've seen a steady fall in quality in a number
of AOCs, which has undermined consumer confidence,"
said Alain Bazot, the head of UFC-Que Choisir. The AOC,
once a gold stamp of origin and quality is fast turning
into a national joke, he added.
According to 75 wine professionals consisting of shippers,
buyers and enologists, one in three AOC bottles did
not deserve the appellation. They were either of substandard
quality, insufficiently linked to the region or failed
to respect traditional production methods. 40% believed
that AOC did not guarantee the quality it sought to
assure.
The inquiry has also led the consumer organisation
to question the impartiality of the AOC award panels,
which are made up of local wine professionals who are
both judges and members.
"In 2004 and 2005 respectively, 98 and 99 per
cent of wines presented for approval were accepted."
According to Bazot, the loss of credibility is also
explained by two types of wines under the AOC label
that have a different quality-to-price ratio. These
categories of wine need to be separated and clearly
defined, the consumer group argues.
UFC-Que Choisir proposes defining which wines have
kept a strong link to their "terroir", thereby
fulfilling the original conditions of the AOC label,
to distinguish them from wines with a less-pronounced
regional character, which answer the demands of a new
market.
The rules governing appellation have become extremely
permissive. The production of AOC wines has increased
from 15 million hectoliters to 25 million hectoliters
in 30 years. In the 1970s, table wines represented 70
per cent of French wine production and AOC wines only
22 per cent. Today, AOC wines account for 44 per cent.
The National Appellation Institute (INAO) "must
stop the flood of second-rate AOC wines" if it
does not want the entire system to be devalued, the
watchdog warned, calling for the institute to take urgent
steps to correct the situation.
The association called on the national appellation
institute to take urgent steps to correct the situation,
preferably by removing fraudulent or poor quality wines
from AOC lists.
However, Yves Bernard, the head of the INAO, dismissed
the association's figures, saying they seemed "laughable".
He continued: "Where did they get those figures?
They can't be serious."
The Beaujolais Sham
This is not the first time the label system has been
hit by controversy. Last year, the French wine producer
credited with almost single-handedly transforming Beaujolais
Nouveau into a global phenomenon was found guilty of
mixing low grade wine with top vintages.
Georges Duboeuf, 72, the self-styled "King of
Beaujolais," was convicted for "fraud and
attempted fraud concerning the origin and quality of
wines". He was fined 30,000 euros.
Resource: http://www.telegraph.co.uk
|
